Skip loading apparatus



April 12, 1932.

Filed 'May 28,` 1929 April 12, 1932. l H E BAKER 1,853,190

SKIP LOADING APPARATUS Patented` pr. 1.2, 191552v Unirse sra'rns PATENT OFFICE HUBERT E; BAKER, F 1V`USKEGON,` MICHIGAN, ASSIGN-OR T0 THE BRADY CO{N'lll'YlDlRSk CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISr 'n SKIP LOADING APPARATUS Appncatin med May 2S,

My invention relates to skip hoists and the means for filling the same, and my main ob,- ject is to design the said means and the skip with a peculiar relation for automatic operation. y

A further object ofthe invention is to provide the filling means with a gate which has no yphysical connection with the yskip when loading ythe latter, so that slight variations in the positions of the gate or skip will not affect the lling operation.

Afstill further object of the invention is to render the skip subject to automatic hoisting without other controls than the weighting of the skip when fully loaded.

Jlnother object of the invention is to dispose the skip free of any deterring influences, so that it will at all times draw its llifting cable tautly and occasion no slack in the same.

Asignificant object of the invention is to provide a simple electrical control for the release of the filling gate from closed to open position.

'vai

An additional object of the invention is to embodyfa simple switch deviceautomatically controlled by the skip to induce the hoist-y ing thereof.

Affinal 'but neverthless important objectk of `the vinvention is to'build the apparatus of .few and rugged parts which are durable. and may operate for long periods Without Vdisorder or attention.

. Vxth the above objects in View and any others that may suggest themselves from the specification and claims to follow, a better understanding of the invention'may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichv Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, in which the skip is shown near its bottom position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view` showingthe skipl at the bottom position and the gate in loading position, and

Fig. 3 is a detailed section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. Y

Y In the art of skip hoiststhe effort to render them automatically operative has led to tim- 1929. Serial No. 366,630.

the mechanism lacked harmony and eliiciency; also, the question whetherthe skip would befully or partially Vloaded whenk hoisted was problematical. It has therefore been my intention to depart from the difficulties and uncertainties ofinstallations ofthe past and to provide an apparatus which functions freely and accomplishes the objects outlined to their fullest extent.:

In carrying out the invention, 5 denotes the bin or hopper from which material is to be loaded into the skip 6. The latter is of conventional design and is wheeled as indicated at *7k to ride upon the inclined track 8 of the hoist. The usual bail 9 and lifting cable 10 apply to the skip 6.

The track 8 is provided with an inclined frame member 11 which extends alongside the hopper chute 5a and carri-es a side yrod 12 onwhich is pivoted :the gate 13 for the chute 5a.v Figure 1 shows the lattery closed rby the lower portion ofthe gate and when the gate is swung in a clockwise direction to assume a position shown in Figure 2, the lower end of the chute 5a opens and secures communication by way of the gate with the skip 6, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Under normal conditions, kwhen the gate 13 maintains the chute 5a in closed position, a latch 14 retains ka side pin 15 of a plate 15k mounted on the gate against departure, locking the gate in closed position. The latch is held by 'a spring 16 which draws upon a connecting rod l17 linked to the latch. The latch is fulcrumed at 18 to the frame member 11 and extends as `indicated at 19to make` a connection with the armature 20 of a solenoid 21 also carried by the frame member v l1, the function of the solenoid when energized being to draw upon the latch with the effect of opening the same relative to the pin l5 of the gate.

The frame member 11 carries a downward extension 22 which is fitted with asimple switch 23 which is closed by pressure upon a roller bearing lever 24. The skip has a cam 25 opposite the switch 23, and as the skip approaches bottom the cam 25 forces the lever 24 of the switch to close the latter with the effect thatthe switch 23 is in an electrical circuit with the solenoid and the closing of the switch energizes the solenoid with the effect of opening the latch 14. The Weight of the gate 13 is so distributed that it will depart of itself from the closed position as soon as the pin 15 is released, and the gate will therefore swing in a clockwise direction and partly enter the skip 6 as shown in Figure 2.

`With the gate open and in connection with the skip, the loading of the latter ensues, the weight of the skip from its load causing it to sink toward the track 8 by reason of a flexible connection between the skip and its i wheels 7. As shown, the skip rests on canti- ,roller 3]. which is adapted to depress a plate 32 pivoted from a standard 33 whose base 34 is built on the track 8. The effect upon the plate 31 is to depress a roller bearing lever y35 which closes the switch 30, the plate 32 having a return spring 36 to automatically restore it to normal position free of the lever 35 when released by the skip roller 31. It will ythus be evident that when the skip becomes fully loaded and secures the closing of the switch 30, the hoisting mechanism will become operative to lift the loaded skip.

The skip carries on the side a plate 37 in which is pivoted a projecting lever 38 which is Weighted below the pivot as indicated at 39. The skip also has a lug plate 40 to limit the lateral swing of the weight 39 and prevent the 'lever 38 from moving in a downward direcybefore the lever 38 can clear the lug 41 on the further ascent of the skip. The extended travel of the gate is represented by the advance of the gate pin 15 deeply into the latch 14 after it has wiped over the nose 14a of the latch. In doing this, the pin has forced the latch out, the latter immediately returning to closed position once the pin is within it. The weight of the gate then slightly swings it forward to locate the piu near the outlet of the latch.

lVhen the skip again descends, the lever 38 simply trips under the lug 41 of the gate as shown in Figure 1, and then assumes the position of rest indicated in Figure 2.

In assuming the open or skip loading position, the gate is relieved of shock by being provided with a bumper pin 42 which strikes an angle lever 43 backed by a cushion spring 44 carried by the chute 5a. Thus, the swing of the gatel to open position does not terminate with a shock.

It will be seen that the novel apparatus provides a freely assembled combination. The opening of the gate is accomplished freely by gravity as soon as the latch is opened; yet the gate is not made to open until the skip has descended to a receptive position. Since the gate follows the skip in this respect, the slight deviation in the height of either the gate or skip will not produce any disorder or hardship; in other words, the gate connects with the skip by a free and following action. Relative to the lifting time for the skip, I provide for the logical moment, which is that when the skip is full, and make no exception. The action is thus positive and does not depend on any timing devices which may prejudice the operation of the hoisting mechanism or the proper cooperation of the skip with the loading mechanism. The skip simply hangs from the hoisting cable unt-il it is full, when it closes the hoisting ci rcuit, assuring a full'load each time it ascends. The effect of the ascent of the skip upon the gate is purely mechanical, since the Weighted skip spaces the cam 25 from the lever 24 of the switch 23, so that no effect will be had upon the switch and upon the latch controlled thereby. f However, should the return trip of the cam 25 by any circumstance actuate the latch, no Work or harm will be done, as the cam will have passed the switch by the time the gate has swung back to a position affected by the latch. Electric-ally, the circuit of the solenoid could be designed for the operation of the switch only on the down course of the skip, so that the ascent of the skip Will have no effect whatever upon the latch. Relative to the switch 30, the plate 32 is made sufficiently long to receive the effect of the roller 3l at points slightly higher or lower than the prescribed bottom limit of the skip travel, in order to allow for inaccuracies in the hoisting mechanism.

In conclusion, it may be said that the novel apparatus embodies a mechanism of few and simple parts which are of a rugged and dc.- pendable nature. The apparatus is devoid of Complicated or frail parts and its electrical appliances for the circuits are of simple and dependable design.

I claim:

1. A skip hoist comprising a wheeled skip, a track therefor, a flexible suspension between the skip and the wheels, a switch associated with the track and pressure-operated to energize the hoist, and a depressor carried by the skip and adapted to transmit pressure to the switch when the skip sinks from a predetermined weight.

2. A skip hoist comprising a wheeled skip, a track therefor, a ieXible suspension between and pressure-operated to energize the hoist, a yieldable lid over the switch and adapted to transmit pressure thereto, and a pendent roller carried by the skip and adapted to ride with pressure upon the lid when the skip sinks from a predetermined weight.

3. A skip hoistcomprising a Wheeled skip, a track therefor, a flexible suspension between thel skip and the wheels, a switch associated with the track at the bottom travel limit of the skip and pressure-operated to energize the hoist, and a depressor carried bythe skip and adapted to transmit pressure tothe switch when the skip sinks from a predetermined weight. K

4. A skip hoist comprising a wheeled skip, a track therefor, a yieldable supporting connectio-n between the skip `and thek wheels whereby the skip may yield toward the track when loaded, hoist actuating means, the skip havingan actuating Hportion adapted t0 engage said hoist actuating means in the loading position of the skip, and said yieldable supporting connection permitting engagement of said portions through the sagging of said skip toward said trackk under a predetermined weight of material.

5. In combination with a hopper having an outlet and a gate for the latter tiltable from closed to open position and having an abutment carried by the gate, a skip hoist comprising a skip positioned for inclined travel opposite the gate, a lever carried by the skip and engageable with' the abutment on the ascent of the skip, a weighted extension of the lever maintaining the latter in position to assume said engagement, and a back stop to prevent the lever from yielding when in engaged position.

6. In combination with a supply chute having skip actuated closure unlatching-imeans, a skip hoist having skip actuated means comprising a member adapted to be momentarily intercepted by a portion of said skip just short of the loading position of the skip, skip actuated means for closing said closure and presenting the same to engagement by said unlatching means, a yieldable support for loaded to a predetermined point whereby said latch actuating means will not be operated during the ascent of said skip, hoist actuating means for the skip, the skip having a portion disposed opposite said hoist actuating means in the loading position of the skip, and such skip portion being normally held from engagement with said hoist actuatin means by said yielding skip support an being adapted to engage said hoist actuating means vhn the skip sags under a predetermined In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

HUBERT E. BAKER.`

the skip and the wheels, a switch in the track said skip permitting the same to sag out of i the' path of said latch actuating means when 

